The decline in performance of Japanese manufacturers in MotoGP is evident, with Honda and Yamaha facing crises that seem to have no end in sight. In addition to introducing several changes to their respective bikes, they are also slowly changing their structure and processes, a process that takes time.
Kevin Schwantz spoke to the site GPOne.com about the situation of the manufacturers who once dominated MotoGP. In the view of the former rider, the mentalitycommented in an interview with GPOne.com regarding the situation of the constructors that once dominated MotoGP. According to the former rider, their mentality and approach are putting them at a disadvantage as it may not be very effective for motorcycle development.
– I think the Japanese have always been so determined to follow their own direction that today they have run into troubles. On the other hand, Europeans are used to extracting the maximum from all possible areas; they test six or even eight bikes on the track. It’s a wealth of very useful information to find the right direction to develop a bike.
The number of bikes on the track is, in Schwantz’s opinion, a Achilles’ heel for Honda and Yamaha: ‘If you only have one team with two bikes and maybe a satellite team, it’s very difficult to fight on equal terms. The Japanese manufacturers need to open their minds more than they currently do’.